Ozonizers



P. NICCOLI OZONIZERS [27 vwf k jem /Vfcca Filed Dec. 28, 1948 June 23, 1953 Patenta! June 23, 1953 UITE STATES O ZONIZERS Piero Niccoli, Firenze, Italy Application December 28, 1948, Serial No. 67,700 In Italy January 17, 1948 2 Claims. i 1

This invention relates to the production of gas mixtures containing air or oxygen and ozone. It is an object of this invention to provide means whereby the production of ozone and/or gas mixtures containing ozone is improved in several respects.

Hitherto, mixtures of 'airor oxygen and ozone have been produced by subjecting air or oxygen to electrical discharges taking place between pairs of electrodes, between which are arranged certain dlelectrics of fiat, curved,'tubular or other form.

'One ofthe most important problems to be solved in these devices is the best possible reali- Zation of the following four conditions:

4 1. Large surfaces of discharge for each ele ment;

2. Perfect contact between the surfaces of the electrodes' and those of the corresponding dielectrics;

3. Strictly constant thickness of the dielectrics and constant discharge length between the surfaces of the former; i

4. Uniformity of the flow of the gas to be ozonized through the discharge zone.

The aim of the present invention is to comply with these four requirements at lowest cost. The invention provides a new ozonizer belonging to the class having concentric electrodes and dielectrics. The essential features of the device are (1) concentric electrode and dielectric members respectively formed from flexible metal or `fiexible insulating sheets rolled up successively one on the other; (2) electrodes cooled by a liquid the hydrostatic pressure of which actingon the fiexible electrode surfaces, perfects the contact of these surfaces with those of the corresponding dielectrics.

In the drawing accompanying this specification and forming part thereof an embodiment of my invention is shown diagrammatcally by Way of example.

In the drawingz Fig. 1 is a vertical, axial section;

Fig. 2 is a partial, horizontal, cross section along the line A-A in Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawing, the ozonizer may be constituted by one preferably cylindrical element or by several preferably cylindrical elements arranged in parallel relation, which can be enclosed in a single metal box, and ied with singlephase, altcrnating current. They may also be delta-connected or star connected and fed with a three-phase current at a frequency of 42/50 cycles or high frequency. t

Each element, constituting an independent unit vertically mounted within the metal box i, comprises' two cylindrical dielectric bodies 2 and 3, each consisting of one or several sheets of a suitable insulating material (micanite, which is an insulating sheet comprising plates made by overlapping mica splittings and bonding them with a suitable adhesive, synthetic resins or the like).

These sheets of gauged thickness are rolled up in cold or hot condition according to their nature, and thickness, and radius or curvature as follows. One or several sheets are rolled up on the outer surface of the body 6 to cover it. If one sheet only is rolled up the body 2 will take the form of a tubular surface cut on a longitudinal line; if several sheets are rolled up contiguously the body 2 will take the form of a tubular surface cut on several longitudinal lines (one for each sheet). On the surface of body 2 and in parallel with its axes several spacing members 5 are fixed, each consisting of a band of insulating material having constant thickness and of length equal to the height of the body 2. Each longitudinal cut line of the body 2 is covered by one of the said spacing members. On the surface of these spacing members one or several sheets are rolled up to form a body 3 similar to the body 2 taking care that each of the cut lines of the tubular surface of the body 3 coincides with the axis of a spacing member 5.

Each element further comprises two concentric electrodes 6 and '1, constituted by tubular surfaces of a thin sheet of brass, Copper or some other suitable material.

The inner electrode 6 is closed at both ends by a welded bottom 8 so as to contain a cooling liquid and constitutes the mandrel around the outer surface of which is Wound the insulating material 2 With a tin-foil a between them, which is cemented on the insulating body.

The outer electrode 'i is formed by a thin sheet of Copper, brass or some other material wound around the outer insulation cylinder 3 with a thin sheet of tin b cemented to the outer surface of the cylinder 3 between the parts. The edges of the joint of the metal sheet are welded together, a bottom made of a metal sheet 9 and welded to the end surface of the electrode T, rests on the bottom of the box l. The unit enclosed in the outer electrode 'I-S, is immersed in the body of a cooling liqud, preferably oil, contained in box I. The liqud contained in the inner electrode 6 and in the box I can be cooled by any convenient cooling system. Fig. shows an example of a cooling system consisting of a cold water circulating ooiled pipe I'I immersed in the liquid contained in the box l; the cooled liquid is aspirated from the box l by the pump 10 which forces it through the pipe !2 into the inner electrode S from which it flows again into the box I through an overfiow pipe !3. e

It should be noted that the inner electrode 6, as Well as the outer electrode T are made of thin and fiex'ible metal sheets, so that, in the inner electrode 6, the hydrostatic pressure of the cooling liquid (from the inside towards the outside).

perfects the contact of the outer surface of the,

electrode with the insulating material wound around same, while in the same way, in theoter electrode 1, the hydrostatic pressure of the cool: ing liquid (from the outside towards the inside) perfects the contact of the electrode T' with the outer surface of dielectric 3 around which the electrode is wound.

The exhaust, pipe M for the ozonized air is made of a non-oxidizable material. It extends through the electrode 6 andits bottom, and is connected to the apparatus to be supplied with the ozonized gas.

Dry air or oxygen` is forced into the box, l through a pipe !5 which terminates, above. the cooling liquid` level so that the air or oxygen is obliged to'fiow through the free spac'ebetween the surfacestof the dielectrics. -This space, in

which electric discharge occurs to form ozone is represented by an annular space divided into several channels by the spacng members. The flow of air or oxygen is thus divided into streams passing through each of the said channels which are re-unted in the ozone chamber 16. From this chamber !6 ozonized gas, escapes through the exhaust pipe !4 which, is connected to the ,apparatus to be, red with the ozonized gas.

The air-tight cover !8 of the ozonizer box. is provided with a Window !9 allowing an operator to watch and control the uniformity of the discharges and the distribution of the oil on the electrodes.

I wish it to be understood that. I do not, desire to be limited to the details described, for ob;

vious modifications will occurs to at person skilled in the art.

I claim: i

1. A tubular ozonizer element comprising in combination, an inner tubular electrodehaving a wall and a bottom ormed from'thin and flexible sheet metal to provide a fiuid-retaining eniclosure, two concentric dielectric members each formed by at least one flexible insulating sheet arranged to define a tube with the longitudinal edges of said sheet being in sealed relationwith the body of said tube, the inner of said members overlying the outer surface of the said innerelectrode, spacing means positioned upon! said inner dielectric member, said spacing means extending the entire length of the'axs of said 'member', the other of said dielectric members overlying the outer surface of said spacing means, an

in tubular form overlying the outer surface of' the outer dielectric member and provided with a bottom to define a fluid-retaining enclosure, the bottoms of said inner and said outer electrodes being spaced to provide a chamber communicating withathe space between the dielectric members for receiving the ozonegenerated, and means for withdrawing ozone from said chamber.

2 A tubular ozonizer element comprising in combination, an inner tubular electrode having a wall and a bottom formed from thin and fiexible sheet metal to provide a fluid-retaining enel'osure; two concentric dielectric members each formed' by at least one exible insulating sheet arranged to define a tube with the longitudinal edges of said sheet being in sealed relation with he. d& oi said, tube. the inner. of said m mbers overly ne he. outer'surfaee f e said ini ner e1ectrode, Sparring.. means, positioned pon n outer tublar. electride con entr c it i inner lectrode and.. said. dielectrie mem d ormed from at, least one thin and fiexible metal sheet in tubular form oyerlying the outer surface of the outer dielectric member and provided with a bottom to( define, a, fiuid-retaining enclosurath bottoms, Qf said inner and said outer electrodes being spaced to provide a, chamber communicating with the space between the dielectric members for receiving the ozone generated, means for withdrawing ozone from said chamber and: means surrounding the outer electrode adapted to contain a cooling liquid, whereby the hydrostatic pressure created by said liquid will urg e inwardly the flexiblewall of' said outer electrode into more intimate contact with the outer dielectric member.

NICOLL PIERO.

References Cit'e d`- in the file of' this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 83tl,975` Dechaux Sept; 11, 1906 1,059,014 Wallace Apr. 15', 1913 1,162,4 15 Steynis Nov. 30, 1915' 1,512.,28,5 Hartman Oct. 21, 1924 1,579,162 Starke et al. Mar. 20, 1926 1,588976 McBlain i June 15, 1926 1594949 Hartman Aug. 3, 19 26 2`,0'70,71'.4 Dreyfus Feb. 16, 1937 2,105,168 Staples Jan. 11, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS' Number Country Date 15,467 Great Britain of 1900 789.936 France Nov. lQ, 1937 

1. A TUBULAR OZONIZER ELEMENT COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, AN INNER TUBULAR ELECTRODE HAVING A WALL AND A BOTTOM FORMED FROM THIN AND FLEXIBLE SHEET METAL TO PROVIDE A FLUID-RETAINING ENCLOSURE, TWO CONCENTRIC DIELECTRIC MEMBERS EACH FORMED BY AT LEAST ONE FLEXIBLE INSULTING SHEET ARRANGED TO DEFINE A TUBE WITH THE LONGITUDINAL EDGES OF SAID SHEET BEING IN SEALED RELATION WITH THE BODY OF SAID TUBE, THE INNER OF SAID MEMBERS OVERLYING THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE SAID INNER ELECTRODE, SPACING MEANS POSITIONED UPON SAID INNER DIELECTRIC MEMBER, SAID SPACING MEANS EXTENDING THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE AXIS OF SAID MEMBER, THE OTHER OF SAID DIELECTRIC MEMBERS OVERLYING THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID SPACING MEANS, AN OUTER TUBULAR ELECTRODE CONCENTRIC WITH SAID INNER ELECTRODE AND SAID DIELECTRIC MEMBERS AND FORMED FROM AT LEAST ONE THIN AND FLEXIBLE METAL SHEET IN TUBULAR FORM OVERLYING THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE OUTER DIELECTRIC MEMBER AND PROVIDED WITH A BOTTOM TO DEFINE A FLUID-RETAINING ENCLOSURE, THE BOTTOMS OF SAID INNER AND SAID OUTER ELECTRODES BEING SPACED TO PROVIDE A CHAMBER COMMUNICATING WITH THE SPACE BETWEEN THE DIELECTRIC MEMBERS FOR RECEIVING THE OZONE GENERATED, AND MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING OZONE FROM SAID CHAMBER. 